A devastating aviation tragedy hit Uttarakhand on Friday when a passenger helicopter crashed into a hillside near Joshimath killing all six people on board including five pilgrims from Bengaluru. The private helicopter operated by Trans Bharat Aviation took off from the Badrinath shrine around 1:14 p.m. and was headed towards Dehradun.
Officials from the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority reported that the aircraft suddenly lost radio communication while flying through bad weather over the mountainous Joshimath valley. Shortly after the helicopter crashed into a steep mountain slope near JP Power House and Marwari Bridge. Joint search teams comprising the Indian Army State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and local police rushed to the remote crash site. Emergency personnel recovered six bodies from the wrecked aircraft confirming no survivors.
The deceased passengers from Bengaluru included a city police officer and four lawyers who were on a pilgrimage. The helicopter pilot Captain Himanshu also lost his life in the collision. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep grief over the fatal incident directing state officials to ensure full administrative coordination and assist the grieving families. Civil aviation authorities have ordered a thorough technical inquiry into the tragedy.
